Device and method for shoe cover application

ABSTRACT

A device and method are provided for wearing a shoe cover onto a shoe without using hands. The device has a guiding system constructed in two parts. The first part is a disposable shift rail installed inside a package of shoe covers. The second part is a stretching path joining to the shift rail. With the guiding system, a reliable control of shoe cover movement is established.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to shoe covers. Particularly, the invention relates to devices and methods for applying disposable shoe covers onto shoes used in clean rooms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoe covers are widely utilized in a variety of fields, such as medical laboratories, operating rooms, animal rooms, house keeping works, and real estate industries. For protection purposes, these shoe covers are usually made disposable with flexible fabrics and elastic band in a simple manner.

Disposable shoe covers made with elastic band and flexible fabrics are naturally curved in irregular configuration. Their openings are usually folded and hidden in wrinkles. Therefore, manual manipulation of shoe covers by hands is a common requirement. Valuable time of doctors and nurses has been wasted for wearing the cheapest shoe covers. Besides, it is also an uncomfortable and physical demanding process. The wearer has to stand on one leg, bend another leg up, keep balance, and maintain the body in a difficult gesture. It is often a struggle for wearers to put on shoe covers before body falls.

A device and method for shoe cover application are highly desirable.

Attempt has been made. Gultekin et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,075 B2, suggests a shoe cover application device using continuous shoe covers. Unfortunately, after knowing the needs, Gultekin has made simple but lethal mistakes, which could result in failure of the device.

The first mistake:

Gultekin thought shoe covers could be folded nicely flat in a storage package, as shown in FIG. 2 of his draws. Gultekin has failed to understand a simple fact. That is, his shoe covers can never be folded into such a nicely flat pattern like paper sheets. An elastic band 370 is used to strain his shoe covers into wrinkles. It is a common knowledge that elastic band has elasticity. It elongates when shoe cover is stretched. Then, its resilient force shrinks shoe cover shorter and tighter, which creates wrinkles and irregularities.

The reality is, those shoe covers will be out of control and shrink in random shapes.

The second mistake:

Gultekin expects a reliable delivery of shoe covers in one by one order from randomly packed storage bin to an application stage. Gultekin has also failed to understand that flexible fabrics, after being packed tightly in wrinkles and folds, could not be dispensed smoothly like paper sheets in a printer. Neighboring units of shoe covers are sticking together via fabric frictions, wrinkles, and interlocking irregularities.

The reality is, those shoe covers will jam the device frequently.

The third mistake:

Gultekin has found that his shoe covers fail to work without a guiding system. Therefore, a guiding member 45 is added for guiding two tubes 330 of shoe covers, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10 of his draws. Unfortunately, Gultekin has further lost a chance to correct his mistakes. Gultekin device would be workable if guiding member 45 were extended all the way up into every unit of shoe covers in storage bin 200. But Gultekin has failed.

The reality is, there is no possibility for Gultekin to extend guiding member 45 into storage bin because:

-   a. Tubes 330 are built along a longitudinal direction of shoe     covers. If the length of one shoe cover is 30 cm. Then, to guide 100     units of shoe covers, guiding member 45 should be extended longer     than 30 meter into storage bin. This is simply not feasible. -   b. Gultekin folds shoe covers back and forth in storage bin, which     means that guiding member 45 in 30 meter length should also be     sharply bent 100 times in storage bin. This simply does not work. A     single sharp bending of guiding member 45 will stop movement of shoe     covers.

A reliable device and method for shoe cover application are highly desirable but remains unsolved.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a reliable device and method for shoe cover application.

The advance of the invention can be summarized as follows:

-   (1) It makes shoe cover application easier. Users wear shoe covers     without using hands. -   (2) It is reliable. Natural principle has been strictly followed in     designing the embodiments of the invention. -   (3) It is simple and better. Two guiding tubes 330 are omitted from     shoe covers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a shifting rail in a package engaging with shoe covers.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 explains how to hold shoe covers open.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 provides an alternative option of engagement.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The lethal mistake of Gultekin device is the lack of a control system inside storage bin. Guiding tubes 330 prevent Gultekin from correcting the failure.

To explain an embodiment of the invention, it is helpful to describe shifting rail in a package of shoe covers used by the embodiment. Inside that package, a shifting rail engages every unit of shoe covers, as shown in FIG. 1. Shifting rail in package is separated into another U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/334,023 filed on Jan. 18, 2006.

FIG. 1 explains the principle of a shifting system in a package. Two rails, 160 and 161, penetrate across fabric sheet 145 of shoe covers 199 perpendicularly. This is a significant advance over longitudinal tubes 330 of prior arts. As a perpendicular engagement, rails 160 and 161 in 40 cm lengths are longer enough to control 100 units of shoe covers. But the required length would be 30 meters if a longitudinal arrangement being used like prior arts. It is clear that 40 cm is an ideal length but 30 meter is unmanageable.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the invention, Two major elements are a holder 230 and an application member. Holder 230 holds a packing box 248 containing shoe covers 258. To demonstrate structural relations of the embodiment, packing box 248 is diagramed in dot lines. Shoe covers 258 are partially displayed inside packing box 248. The shape and size of holder 230 should be compatible to packing box 248. A surrounding wall 260 positions packing box 248 and a shelf 261 controls the height of packing box 248. Shelf 261 also provides a support to shoe covers 258.

Application member is the key element. Its guiding paths, 220 and 270, are continuations of shifting rails in packing box 248. Shifting rails 250 and 251 are made by a piece of thread 256 for being disposable. A penetration of end wall 255 of packing box 248 provides support to shifting rails 250 and 251.

Also in FIG. 2, paths 220 and 270 communicate with shifting rails 250 and 251 respectively via joints 240 and 241. Flexible shifting rail 250 and 251 are tighten between end 255 and joint 240 and 241. There are many ways to form joint 240 and 241, such as a loop-hook engagement. Joints 240 and 241 permit shoe covers 258 being dispensed from packing box 248 toward a shoe insertion space 265. For fitting shoe sizes, a distance 292 between paths 220 and 270 should be wider than the width of a large shoe. A vertical height 202 of paths 220 and 270 over base 200 should be compatible to the height of shoe covers 258. For stability, both paths 220 and 270 are made with stainless steel and welded on base 200, which generates a strong force against moving action of the users. To prevent migration, base 200 can be anchored on floor by double-side glue sheet. A pair of cutters, 201 and 291, is installed on vertical portion of paths 220 and 270. Cutters 201 and 291 make small cuts and release a shoe cover toward an exit 294.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the first embodiment. A shoe cover 259 has passed joints 240 and 241 onto paths 220 and 270. Shoe cover 259 is widely stretched, which elongates an elastic band 266 of shoe cover 259. A resilient force of elastic band 266 has a tendency to strain shoe cover 259. To maintain shoe cover 259 in open position, four turns, 210, 221, 262, 272, are formed by bending paths 220 and 270 into angles about 45 degree. Four turns balance the resilient force from different region of shoe covers 259. A balanced total force, that is, two resilient forces in equal strength but opposite directions, will fail to move shoe cover 259.

To change a new packing box 248 of shoe covers 258 onto the device, the steps are:

-   (a) Open a new packing box to expose the free ends of shifting     rails. -   (b) Engage shifting rails with paths. -   (c) Place the new packing box onto holder. -   (d) Dispense a first unit of shoe covers 258 onto shoe insertion     space 265.

To apply a shoe cover onto a shoe, the wearer should:

-   (a) Insert one foot into a shoe cover at shoe insertion space 265. -   (b) Move said foot toward exit 294. Cutters 201 and 291 make small     cuts to the shoe cover and releases it from the device.

There are many options to control the movement of next unit of shoe covers 258 after releasing the first unit. For example, a motorized arm can be added to the device to pull shoe covers 258 one by one from packing box 248 to shoe insertion space 265. Alternatively, a piece of thin thread can be used to link neighboring units of shoe covers sequentially. A foot movement during exit will pull a next unit of shoe cover 258 from packing box 248 onto shoe insertion space 265.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment 481 of the invention. Guiding system is simplified from 2 paths to a single path 450. Path 450 is arranged in circular curve in order to stretch shoe covers 480 widely open for receiving a shoe 485. Then, a foot rotation as shown in arrows 400 and 455 releases a unit of shoe covers 480 from path 450.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged diagram showing an alternative option of engagement of guiding system. A hinging member 555, with a root 556 being embedded to shoe cover 580, has a profile interlocking to the shape of a guiding path 550. Path 550 holds hanging member 555 and permits its free shift all the way down from packing box to shoe insertion space. Shoe covers with hanging member 555 has better looking because there will be no cutting during exit. Cutters can be omitted.

Although the descriptions above contains specifications, it is apparent to those who skilled in the art that a number of other variations and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Cutters 201 and 291, for examples, can be omitted. Four turns can also be omitted without causing failure of shoe cover application. Paths 220 and 270 can be made in plastic instead of stainless steel. Packing box can be replaced by different enclosures. Packing box can also be placed underneath base 200. Therefore, the descriptions as set out above should not be constructed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustration of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. 

1. A device for applying of a shoe cover from shifting means of a packing enclosure to a shoe, comprising: a holding member positioning said packing enclosure; and an application member, having a first end, a second end, and a path between said first end and said second end, wherein said first end joining to said shifting means and receiving said shoe cover, wherein said path, being built in a configuration capable of stretching said shoe cover, supporting said shoe cover against said shoe.
 2. A device for application of a shoe cover from shifting means of a packing enclosure to a shoe, comprising: a holding member positioning said packing enclosure; an application member, having a first end, a second end, and a path between said first end and said second end, wherein said first end joining to said shifting means and receiving said shoe cover, wherein said path, being built in a configuration capable of generating a suitable force to stretch said shoe cover, supporting said shoe cover against said shoe; and engaging means, embedded to said shoe cover, interlocking with said path, being movable along said path.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said shifting means is disposable.
 4. A method for application of a shoe cover from shifting means of a packing enclosure to a shoe, comprising steps of: (a) having a device for application of a shoe cover from shifting means of a packing enclosure to a shoe, said device comprising: a holding member positioning said packing enclosure; an application member, having a first end, a second end, and a path between said first end and said second end, wherein said first end joining to said shifting means and receiving said shoe cover, wherein said path, being built in a configuration capable of generating a suitable force to stretch said shoe cover, supporting said shoe cover against said shoe; and (b) having said shoe cover being dispensed from said packing enclosure to said path; (d) inserting said shoe into said shoe cover; and (e) moving said shoe to exit. 